Forum:Hogwasrts2907's Fanfic by Harini V
HARRY POTTER AND THE SOULS FOR PEACE Hey Everyone, this is my version of HP8, starting from where JKR left Harry at Dumbledore's office. Please read the first chapter and tell if you like it, what can be done about it, how to improve.....ok? Harini Venkat Ch 1 - the hatred of the Dark Lord Tom Riddle was shivering on the white floor. It was neither cold nor warm, but his skin was on fire.He tried to scream, but the very thought hurt and he lay whimpering on the floor, huddled under a bench. His body felt as if someone had cut it into 7 parts, and had stuck it together with glue. He opened his eyes; it was very painful, as if his very body hated to obey him. All he could see was a soft, white light. A few feet away from him clung a thick, white mist obscuring further vision. Above him was a high domed white ceiling. White. He hated it. His breath was painful - but he could breathe? how? Just moments ago, Harry Potter, his greatest enemy had killed him! A teenager had just popped the clogs of the Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard of all times!!! What had the boy said? Repentance. Would it heal him? Bring him back his life? Foolish! Just as foolish as that Dumbledore's crazy ideas! "Master?" It was Bellatrix. So she was here, too, in this mysteriously (frustatingly) calm place. Her prescence confirmed that he was really dead. Voldemort gulped and pressed his raw, flayed mouth with his blistered looking hand. No, he thought, desperately,no, she must not see the Greatest Dark wizard lying like a half-burnt child!And he cowered closer to the underside of the bench. "Bellatrix?" "Macnair?" "Yaxley, you too!" "Yeah, Avery and Nott are over there. Little Vincent Crabbe is also here, look, there with his parents." "You mean Potter killed him too!" Bellatrix sounded aghast."So, the little git isn't as heary and lurving as Dumby claims, is he?" She laughed a short cruel laugh heavy with irony." So, are we dead?" "Yeah, we are not ghosts, are we?" Ghosts! That was it! Suddenly Tom Riddle's mind ignited with a wonderful idea! He died in the Great Hall, where he had walked upon for years. If he was right, this was an intermediate place between the afterlife and the living world, and so, he could go back and face Potter! But as a ghost this time. Nevertheess, He could always raise Slytherins against Potter in the future. Raise an enemy horde of Slytherins against the good, great Harry Potter. Anger and hatred beyond measure flowed into him at the very thought of the boy.It burned his insides as the cool air burned his raw, red skin. Hot tears of fury rose to his red, slit-like eyes and he laughed his high, cold laugh that had chilled the bones of many brave men as he crawled out from under the bench. For one thing, Tom Riddle hated being naked. I need Robes, he thought and at once a black swirl covered his tall figure in black robes. But this did not mean that he could prevent the cloth from scratching painfully against his skin. "Master?" "D-dark Lord?" More gasps of surprise ejaculated around him and one by one all his deceased Death Eaters came closer around him. Bellatrix's eyes grew wide as she saw the pain in his face, his pitiful appearance and how he winced in the air. "B-but, Master, Potter brat did not kill you!?!" Voldemort twisted his horrible-looking face into a sneer. "He won me not by skill,Bella-"Voldemort could still hear the boy's words in his ear as he stuggled to jot believe them"-but by pur luck-" At that moment precisely a black hurricane seemed to be coming in a distance, whistling madly towards them. Fred Weasley, who was siting close to the (dark) gathering, got up and looked at it closely. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora followed his stare. "To go on...," they said together and ran towards it. As heads turned around to see them, more dead people followed their footsteps and ran to the hurricane. Willingly or unwillingly, the Death Eaters felt the same pull and ran away from Voldemort, who, mustering all his strength, thought about Hogwarts and the Great Hall, as that was his destination. He didn't want to end up with the others. The hurricane, closing upon him, was the last thing Tom Riddle saw before he was enveloped in darkness. Ch 2- A Fresh Restart Harry had been asleep for two hours when he felt like waking up. And wake he did, from a beautiful dream to a beautiful reality. Ginny was sitting on his right on Ron's bed and was looking at him, smiling. Beside her was a tray with toast, bacon and soup in it. "You sleep like a baby," she said, handing the tray to him. "Have you been watching for a long time?" But the soup was warm. So was his heart. "You could've woken me up." "No," said Ginny, resettling herself at the foot of Harry's bed " You were smiling in your sleep. What did you dream about, so happy? Not another girl, is it?" Harry grinned, even if it was artificial, for Ginny. A few hours ago, when they were together down in the Hall, he had almost thought that Ginny might not forgive him for losing Fred. He munched on his toast and pretended to think seriously. "It wouldn't've mattered anyway, I have you. I dreamt about .... my house...our house." On seeing the confusion in Ginny's face, he explained," You know, the one in Godric's Hollow. My parent's house, and I dreamt that - that we lived there with our children. Perhaps," continued Harry, his grin fading,"it wouldn't have had to be a dream if my mum and dad were alive." The glow in Ginny's face dimmed at once. Harry could see the pain in Ginny's eyes; his loss and her loss weren't nearly the same, but it was a painful wound, nevertheless, in both their hearts. "Voldemort," started Ginny huskily,"A git who hates love..." She snorted in a bitter sort of way."Look where he is now." "You're right, Ginny." Hinny and Harry looked at the door. There, leaning on the doorframe was Hermoine and behind her, Ron. Both of them were exhausted but there was a certain sort of relief in both their faces. Ron grinned as they both came over and sat down on Ron's bed. He put his hand around Hermoine. None of them spoke for a few minutes as Harry finished his breakfast. Then- CRACK! "Kreacher?" The wizened little house elf bowed so low that his nose seemed to touch the floor. When he straightened up, he looked as bright as the gold chain around his neck. "Master Harry has killed the Dark Lord!" cried Kreacher jubiliantly,"Master Regulus is avenged!" Then the house elf jigged his hip like a tribe dance. Ginny and Hermoine giggled at the sight of Kreacher dancing & in recognition he bowed to both of them in turn. Then he spoke to Harry. "Master Harry, Kreacher has a message from Professor McGonagall." "What is it?"asked Harry putting the tray away. Kreacher dutifully took it from the bedside table and held it as he answered. "Master Harry, Master Ronald and Miss Hermoine are to meet Professors McGonagall, Slughorn, Sprout, Flitwick after the funeral." "oh!" Harry had almost forgotten about the mass funeral; there were so many people who died for him, for Voldemort and then there was Voldemort himself. They had to be buried. "where is the funeral ,Kreacher?" asked Hermione gently. "Beyond the Forbidden Forest, a barren land is being dug into a graveyard by the Hogwarts house-elves," said Kreacher. "Kreacher has promised to join them. At dusk the people will be buried. The giants are to be buried in the mountains by their relatives who have been found deep in the Forest.May Kreacher take leave, Master Harry?" "No, wait," said Harry. He had been thinking about this before he had fallen asleep. "I want one grave dug in plain view of Hogwarts." "Whose, mate?"asked Ron. "Voldemort's" Hermione and Ron fell silent and nodded a few moments later; whereas, Ginny was outraged. "Don't be a gentleman, Harry!" she hissed angrily," he does not even deserve burial - infact, we - we can throw his body to the ravens- or even cremate it- " Harry looked at her with a weary expression. "No, Ginny. The fault isn't entirely his; he didn't get the love he deserved. How can you know love if you've never had it? Look, his dad abandoned his mum and she left him - " "Yeah," said a voice from outside,"And cremation costs more." Gearge Weasley came into the dormitory. Harry smiled softly at him, feeling thoroughly guilty inside. He then turned to Kreacher. "You can go now, but I'll show you the place where the grave must be dug - in an hour or so." "What are you doing here!?!" asked George, trying to grin, looking at Kreacher. Kreacher bowed to all of them for a last time instead of an answer and with a pistol-shot-like-crack, he vanished. "Harry, you gotta come down," said George,"people want to meet you badly down there" "Who?" Hadn't they had enough to talk to him in the morning? "Ludo Bagman, Dolores Umbridge-" George grimaced at the name"- and some bloke called Messius" "What for? Harry needs rest," protested Ginny, but Harry held his hand up. "Who else?" "Yeah, just one more -" George snorted suddenly," Rita Skeeter has been telling everybody that she's already started your biography - Hardships of the Hero" Harry groaned as Ron, Hermione, Ginny and George all burst into peals of laughter. With difficulty George stopped, to continue. "Chapter One- yeah, she's already over with it - it's called The Green-eyed Baby." More shrieks of laughter followed it. " And just oe more news - Grawp's got himself a girlfriend." "What!?!" "Yeah," explained George, suppressing the idea to laugh at the shocked faces,"One of dead giants had a daughter or so with him who was left behind for the battle and - er - Grawp rescued her. From another giant. Look out there, won't you?" All of them went to the window together (which was smashed) and saw the two giants at the edge of the fores. Grawp was shorter than the giantess, but it looked as though he was the one doing the whole job of getting food. "Romantic," commented Ron, his eyebrows raised. "Does she - er - know english?"asked Hermione uncertainly. Harry and Ron determinedly avoided looking at each other, but Ginny giggled. After one experience with Grawp the giantess would be difficult, really. "Yeah, Grawp was talking to her."A short pause."Or maybe she fell in love with his perfectly yellow teeth, you know. C'mon," George turned away from the window,"Let's all go down." Harry reluctantly followed the others. As he walked down the staircases, he noticed that George carefully avoided any word about the battle at all. To his horror, George's wounded ear-hole was bleeding, though no one else except himself. When he pinted this out to George, the latter shrugged and muttered, "who cares?" and mumbled something that sounded like "anymore", which he thought Harry couldn't hear. Harry, however, heard it and went red. "I - I - am - " he started to stammer as they neared the Great Hall. The others proceeded in without them and George recovered his posture and looked around, sorry. "I didn't mean to hurt you, mate; you had to do it and you did it and you can't help things like," he stopped, staring at the sky,"-things like this." George ended abruptly though Harry knew what he was about to say. Losing Fred was really hard on George and Harry was grateful that George wasn't angry at him. The two of them stood for a few minutes, looking at their toes. "Harry, my boy!" Bagman waved to Harry from a distance and struggled through the crowd to reach them. George clapped Harry on the shoulder and disappeared into the Great Hall. "Harry Potter, the Vanquisher of Darkness," said Bagman breathlessly, finally reaching him,"You don't know how pleased I am -" "I was told you ran away?" Harry was cold, slightly amused and angry to see the man who had bet to the goblins, once, on Harry to win the triward Tournament. Bagman faltered at the sentence, but almost immediately waved it away. "No, no , I was called away for urgent business at Transylvania - " "Did you pay the goblins back? I'm betting they got you efore you did that." "Umm..."Bagman squirmed uncomfortably. Clearly, he hadn't an inkling that Harry knew so much about him."That-that- I had a bit of gold - you know, my Wasps winnings, I paid it off - " "Good to know you're fair at last,"cut across Harry the old beater's sentence."Now, why do you want to talk to me?" Bagman puffed his chest out proudly. "My boy, I am the newly re-installed Head of Magical Sports-" "What, again?" Ron was back, with Hermione behind him. "So I've come to offer you a position in my department, you know, you're an excellent seeker-" "Sorry?" interrupted Harry,"I thought you had to finish your studies to join the ministry? Or atleast," he added coldly," Your New minister should make that rule so that people like you don't hire under-studied people." Bagman deflated like a balloon pierced by a needle. Before he could continue, however, he was pushed aside by a rather short woman with a toad-like face and a big black bonnet on top of her hair. Dolores Jane Umbridge's sad-like expression did not stop Harry from hating her a thousand million percent. She was panting slightly after her effort to get to him. "Harry Potter!" Umbridge gasped, pretending not to have seen the three's expressions of extreme disgust."It is almost 2 years since we met last! And you have grown into a powerful wizard, as I've always known - " "What do you want me for?" Harry inserted a certain high level of steeliness into his voice."Powerful? Not the nasty liar anymore, eh?" Umbridge glared at and then put on one of her most disgusted smiles, which sickened Harry. "Even the best witches and wizards misunderstand sometimes, Mr.Potter, and I made one such mistake. I was very sorry to have punished you when I heard that He-who-must-not-be-named was back-" "Rubbish,"inserted Ron. "I was under the impression I was talking to you, Mr.Potter! Not - " started Umbridge angrily, but Harry's temper shot right up and he snarled at her. Frightened, Umbridge took a step away from Harry. "Look!" he shouted at her, brandishing the back of his fist in front of her eyes."Am I not the Undesirable No.1 anymore? Am I not 'to be punished'?" "Mr.Potter," said Umbridge, shaking with anger, not wearing her sick smile anymore,though an equally disgusting grimace in its place."The Past must be forgotten-" "Sorry, I'm not like you. I don't forget Magic is might and the Muggle-born Registration Commission.It nearly killed my friends" "Under the Minister Thicknesse - " "You had much more freedom to execute your cruel ideas." "I WON'T LET YOU INTERRUPT ME IN THIS FASHION,POTTER! YOU ARE TALKING TO A MINISTRY PERSON!" "I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE WHO TRIES TO GET MY FRIENDS MURDERED BY THE DEATH EATERS!" Everyone around them fell silent. Umbridge was pink and was fuming with anger. "I WON'T HAVE YOU TO INTERRUPT ME, POTTER! I CAN LAND YOU IN AZKABAN IN NO TIME!" "Oh yeah?" said Harry in a mocking tone, but filled with sarcasm and coldness,"And how long will it take for me to break out?" He glared down at her and pulled out his wand to hex her, forgot that he had 2 wands and ended up bringing the Elder wand out. "No!" cried Hermione as she and Ron grabbed him and pulled him away from her. Umbridge herself had her unnaturally short wand out and lowered it as she watched him struggle. "Sensible girl,"she said, smirking,"She knew what would happen if you happen if you attacked the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic - " "Not anymore, Dolores," said a deep voice. "All of them looked at the Front Doors just to see the new minister for magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, striding towards them. He had a tall, baldish wizard with silver hair with him. Harry stopped struggling. "M-minister?" "Yes," replied Kingsley, his face almost beaming,"Here is your resignation order. I think now you might leave this young man alone." "But-but-" Umbridge looked mad at the news,"You cannot sack me - you are only temporary! I will come back! The ministry is my life!" Kingsleylooked at the silver-haired wizard beside him and both of them smiled as Kingsley pulled out a slip of parchment. "Sorry to distress you, Dolores, but precisely 24 minutes ago I received the confirmation for the approval for the Stable Minister position - till I resign I'm the Minister, lady!" "You!"Umbridge was at a loss for words and raised her wand to hex Kingsley, but the silver-haired wizard was faster. "Incarcerous!" Ropes, bursting from his purple wand, bound Umbridge tightly from head to toe. Percy stepped forward from the Great Hall and bowed to Kingsley. "Let me take care of her, Minister." Kingsley nodded and Percy sent Umbridge spectacularly bouncing across the floor, gaining cheers from many Hogwarts students who were watching the scene. As Percy marched out, Kingsley came closer to Harry. The silver-haired wizard winked at Harry, Ron and Hermione. He seemed genial and good. "Harry, I, rather we,"Kingsley inclined his head towards the other wizard,"have decided to award you three Order of Merlin, First Class." He lowered his voice and then added,"This is the highest gift I and the ministry can do for you help." Harry stuffed the Elder wand back into his robes and smiled at Kingsley. "Thanks, Kingsley, I appreciate that very much." Kingsley nodded elegantly and turned to the crowd. "Wizards, witches and students of the New Future, bright and clear, I ask for your response to Harry Potter's achievement! Not to mention Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger! An ear-splitting and deafening round of claps resounded throughout the whole school. Harry grinned sheepishly at everyone inspite of the fact that all of them had undergone severe losses for him. He looked around at Ron and Hermione who were both waving to the wolf-whistles and 'hooray!'s. "And this, my dear people, is Sir Brelton Messius who is responsible for the deaths of both Mr.Lestranges, both the Carrows and Mr.Rookwood just 2 hours ago, having tracked them down in the ministry premises after last night's battle. Sir Messius is from the West Country - " "Isn't the one who wanted to meet you?"whispered Hermione into Harry's ear. Harry nodded, his old curiosity back in him. " - And he had arrived only yesterday and has been providing the information to all the Ministry workers in my absence and sending them to join the battle. Sir Messius, as many of you may know, is the well known inventor of the Expelliarmus Spell and the Impedimenta Jinx." A polite applause greeted this introductry speech and soon the crowd went back to it's own discussions and within moments Shacklebolt and Messius were pulled into it, before even the latter could utter a "Hi!" to Harry. "Come, let's get outta here,"Ron muttered into Harry's ear, pulling them out, saving Hermione from a large witch who was hitting everyone with an unnaturally large handbag as she walked past. The three of them skipped out to the grounds, trying to get as far away from the crowds and noises as possible. Harry had an errand incomplete and they had to see to it. So, they set off in the direction of Dumbledore's tomb, with the Elder Wand in Harry's fingers. "You do it,"Harry told Hermione when they reached the tomb. Lips trembling, Hermione opened the marble slab to reveal the sarcophagus inside, words invisible from her mouth.Harry closed his eyes as he bent down and placed it gingerly on the former headmaster's body didn't open them until he turned away. Ron, on the order, bit his lip and stood staring at the lake. "One work over...Kreacher!" Harry called. When the elf arrived, he said all the three,"We have to find the place to dig Riddle's grave." * * * Voldemort opened his eyes as the black mist's suffocating feeling faded away. It was dark where he was, but his whole body gave out faint light enough to let him see what was in the room. There was only one object in there to crave his attention. His past body.It lay there, shrunken and lifeless, and it's ghost was watching it, ironically. As Riddle continued to watch his flesh and blood, his anger grew right up. The only way was to now was to bottle it up. Tom Riddle never knew pain as a ghost, but in exchange period, he suffered.......... 'It might not hurt, I never know'..........he had died..........'I have never died'....... The door of the room suddenly opened and sunlight poured in. Voldemort had just enough time to become invisible before the newcomers could see him. It was a house-elf,who entered the room. It looked strangely familiar, as if... he'd victimized it before... but the memory wasn't clear... "Bring him out, Kreacher." But the person standing at the doorway wasn't new to him. Infact, it was Harry Potter. The house-elf snapped his fingers and Voldemort's body rose into the air. The creature then carefully floated it outside. Voldemort the Ghost followed. Outside, Potter's friends, the Mudblood and the Blood-traiter were waiting. They slightly recoiled, so did those around. Voldemort felt a grim happiness from the flinching caused by merely looking at his corpse. Many house-elves were engaged in carrying all the casualities and all of them moved in an organised fashion in straight lines. But the one carrying him went around the building and set off towards the Forbidden Forest. There, under the shade of the outermost trees was a pit - 6 feet deep,6 feet long - his grave. Also, noted Voldemort as the house-elf lowered his pitiable body, his tomb had a clear view of Hogwarts and that it was a solitary spot. It was like a rose in midst of all thorns of his hatred towards the boy. A very black rose, though. * * * Ron and Hermione stood in the gloom until Voldemort's body was lowered and came away after that. Harry, however, waited till he threw a fistful of sand into the pit. He then waved his wand. * * * Voldemort watched as his body disappeared under the black marble stone. A headstone rose from it, bearing the legend - TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE. Underneath it was VOLDEMORT (By Followers). And even below that was :- "A great wizard who should have known Love. Death was his first enemy" Chapter 3 - Messius Harry could not remember anything throughout the journey in the forest path, except for a glimpse of Firenze and Bane talking to each other softly. In almost what seemed like no time Harry, Ron and Hermione reached the newly formed graveyard, Kreacher leading them.It was the same place where he had first seen the dragons, where he had attended the first Triwaizard Tournament, nearly 4 years ago. It was where he had fought the Hungarian Horntail, flown and snatched the golden egg- "Harry?"called Hermione, startling him out of reminiscences,"I asked you where you wanted to sit?" "Me?Anywhere with you two!" "Forgot already?"Ron mused,"You gotta say something for everyone, Shacklebolt told us, remember?" "Oh, alright then,"mumbled Harry,"Let's go over there, to the front - " "I and Hermione are going to be with my family." A short pause followed this proclamation, in which Ron shrugged his shoulders. "It's OK," said Harry, who could see the priest (The same one in Dumbledore's funeral and Bill's wedding) beckoning him over to join the little group around him."You carry on." Harry slouched over to the indicated corner, looking around.Percy Weasley was sitting on a rock beside his family and a house-elf bearing Fred's body. A curly haired girl who looked familiar sat beside him with her hand on his shoulder. Arthur Weasley was comforting Andromeda Tonks , who had arrived only an hour ago with little Teddy in her arms. Right now his hair was a beautiful shade of blue and he smiled at everyone, waving his fat fists. Harry suddenly remembered that he was his godson and coming to think of it, Teddy did not even have his parents for a single month compared to Harry, who had them for more than a year. The sense of guilt mixed with unbearable pity and intensified the pain in Harry's heart. To Harry's surprise, Amos Diggory and his wife sat next to Neville and his grandmother, who were comforting all the people who had suffered a loss. Lucius Malfoy was sitting in a corner of the newly erected stands (for the occassion) with his wife and son. Soon he would be taken to Azkaban with the ministry officials, though Draco and Narcissa will be spared. The latter looked the gloomiest of all and from time to time she shot odd furtive glances at Andromeda Tonks. Harry settled himself in one of the front row seats, someway from the VIPs gathered to watch the funeral. As the hour passed by, more and more families trooped in with house-elves carrying people. Kreacher had long disappeared to help the elves, on Harry's suggestion. Then, the true audience came. It was just like Dumbledore's funeral, so many witches and wizards gathered in the shade of the tall evergreen trees which, too, seemed to silently mourn the loss. Infact, the only things missing were Umbridge and the merpeople singing, since even the centaurs mingled in this time. Miraculously, instead of their usual heavenly preaches, they talked about earthly losses and comforted people, something they'd avoided for centuries. Hagrid waved to Harry as he entered the gloom with a limp form in his hands and Grawp right behind him with his new girlfriend. The giant stood for a few minutes before the giantess silently led him towards the mountains, noticing their oddity in midst of humans and other such "short" creatures. Oliver Wood and Alicia Spinnet were standing next to a subdued wizard; Alicia's mother, too, had been lost in the battle. Aberforth Dumbledore came over and sat on Harry's left. "Never known such a crowd. Even Albus' funeral seemed less packed," he remarked, looking at the never-ending number of people walking into the clearing, which seemed enlarged enough to hold all the wizarding population of England. "I've seen,"replied Harry," a hundred million people walking into the Quidditch World Cup finals." "I wasn't exactly hiding," was all Harry could manage. "True, as always..." Aberforth murmured moodily, "Which reminds me you lost this in the forest." And he put something into Harry's hands. It was the Resurrection Stone. "Wh-where did you get this?" Harry stammered out in shock. "And how on earth do you know if it's mine?" Aberforth smiled for the first time since Harry had known. The transformation was astonishing; the eyes twinkled, the wrinkles diminshed and Aberforth looked a lot more like the Percival Dumbledore in the Daily Prophet. "Sonny," Aberforth said brightly," I'm not as much a fool as you may think, even if I couldn't be as brilliant as Albus. I saw this ring last on Albus' finger. The Albus I know is not careless enough to leave his things lying on the forest ground. I knew it had passed on to you when your house-elf gave it to me." "Kreacher gave it you?" "He found it when we were exploring that damaged arachnid nest for any left behinds. I know the forest even better than Rubeus does." Aberforth tilted his head towards the shady corner where Hagrid was talking to the just-arrived Madame Maxime."Now you just have it, boy!" Aberforth pressed the ring into Harry's palm and walked towards the entrance where the elves were struggling against the oncoming watchers. "Harry?" a voice called. Harry looked up to see Luna Lovegood. At this moment her presence reminded him of the Hallows. Afterall, her father was a Pursuer of the Quest and she must be knowing about it. Hesitantly, he opened his hand and showed he the ring. Luna picked it up and dropped herself into Aberforth's seat. "Is it for Ginny?" she asked brightly,"An engagement ring or something?" "Look at the stone." Luna was puzzled but followed this instruction. Harry was right. "Is this a Hallow?" Harry nodded and motioned with his hand to lower her voice. He took back the ring; if it was sticking to him then he'd better see it was safe. "The stone." "Can I have it for a while,please?" Luna asked Harry, getting up. The latter was startled by the tears in her eyes."I promise to return it, mum-" "Oh, go on." Luna left really thankful and tearful. "You did a good thing," a voice said in Harry's ear,"Giving the stone to that poor girl." Harry jumped and turned to see who spoke. It was Sir Messius. Harry quickly got up. "What do you know about the stone?" he asked the older wizard suspiciously. "I once was a Pursuer of the Quest,"Messius explained, forcing Harry back into his seat and sitting on the boy's right. "But rather than owning them, I wanted to learn their properties."Messius had a slightly french tilt in his voice."One of the reasons I was interested about you is your inheritance of the Invisibility Cloak." "How do you-?" Only Harry. Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore knew about this, or so, Harry thought. "My wife's maiden name was Potter, sonny," said Messius and left Harry to stare at him."She was your Granda's sister, which makes her your great-aunt." Harry's temper rose up as quik as he did; every time Messius uttered 'your' he wanted to scream. But miraculously , he held his tongue. "Where was she?" Harry asked, raising his tone slightly,"where were you? where were all when my parents died? What happened when I suffered at the Dursley's? Or where - did you - you thought I was crazy - perhaps a Dark wizard or something?" A passing by house-elf turned to look at Harry who spoke the last few words a bit too forcefully. Messius shook his head at the elf. "Now don't get mad at me, Harry Potter," Messius anwered calmly, indicating Harry to take his seat. Harry did so, reluctantly. "My wife is dead for more years than you have ever lived, boy. I didn't know her maiden name for a very long time, until I summoned her ba-diary to reveal the real journals. But even then I knew nothing of the world, sitting in the corner of Argentina for research." "Argentina?" It seemed a highly uncommon place for a world-famous wizard to research in. "We were there for a very long time. Josephine - your great aunt - simply was attached to the place and we brought up our son and girl there. It was after my son's death that I moved into the States." "And your daughter?" "Alicia Longbottom. Calls herself Alice." "Neville's mom !?!" "Neville ?" Messius asked, surprised, "that's my grandson?" Harry was puzzled. "You don't know anything about them?" Messius seemed struck dumb for a few minutes. "She never told us, dude," he said slowly, putting a bit of American lilt to the language. "Took a leaf out of the mother's book; ran away. I knew about her being in Europe only after the news of their torturer's escapade in the American wizard daily." A short pause followed."Now, where's Neville, son?" Harry showed him. Messius stared at Neville with rising tears in his eyes. "He looks just like Alice and Josie," Messius whispered to himself, brushing his tears away with a flick of his wand. "Don't you want to meet him?" suggested Harry. Messius shook his head in dismay. "I don't want to remind him of his mother. Do you, by any God-meaning-way, know where she is?" he asked Harry. "In St.Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and -er- something like that." Messius fixed him with a watery smile. "Thankyou, Harry Potter." Just then, the funeral began. The short little priest began his monotonous speech and silence fell over the clearing at once. "...let us pray for the poor souls to rest in peace, friends who have given all given their lives for the greater good, not to mention a few misguided ones, too. Frederick Bromston Weasley, Nymphadora Remus Lupin, Remus John Lupin, Jeremy Joseph Reikh, Colin Paul Creevey, Pamela Jane Watson,....." The list covered all the names of the people who died the previous night,victims as well as death eaters, even the giants and the large spiders (whose names were injected by the gruff voice of Hagrid). The last name that was read out was "Thomas Marvolo Riddle", which was greeted by looks sour and hatred. "Now I request our saviour, the Chosen One, Harry Potter to honour his supporters." Harry stepped onto the little dias and looked around, nervous. All of them smiled at him, making him feel heartened. "I.....am truly sorry," Harry spoke into the megaphone, “I didn't want so many people to die. So much magical blood was spilled last night. This wouldn't have been so if we couldn't correct the bad sort as early as we could." He shot a look at Lucius Malfoy who hung his head. “Last night was an example of the fearlessness that could've been implemented earlier. Yes, ofcourse, we were afraid of our lives...?" Harry paused significantly as many newly arrived spectators looked at each others uneasily." But, what really moved me was the determined support many of you provided me unconditionally out of trust, even when my past was marred by many quills - "Harry glared at Rita Skeeter whose Quick Quotes Quill was scratching away behind him,"- and I will never forget any of these friends, never ever. I wish them a peaceful rest all for once and ,er, that they sleep undisturbed after their tiring journey on earth. Let us remember that Death is the last enemy that shall be destroyed"he added as an afterthought. “Let us work together from this minute as friends. Then, perhaps, we might have a chance to make life worth living." Everyone clapped hard and soon coffins were being lowered into their pits. Harry nodded goodbye to Sir Messius, who nodded in reply and added in a soft voice,"I need to meet you and your 2 friends in person. Send me word; tomorrow morning, perhaps." Harry nodded again and worked his way to where the Weasleys stood, scattered across 3 graves, with Hermione and Mrs.Tonks. "You spoke well, mate," said Charlie Weasley and clapped him on his back. Harry tried to smile in return, but he knew he wouldn't succeed. Instead, he excused himself and walked over to Mrs.Tonks and Teddy. "I'm sorry, Mrs.Tonks, I didn't want them to die," Harry said in a low voice, stretching his arms out for Teddy. Mrs. Tonks let him hold the baby and patted his cheeks. "It was job to kill You Know--ofcourse, I meant Voldemort," She said, sniffing and wiping her tears."And it was our job to assist you. I'm proud of Dora and Remus, they died heroes' deaths. I'm sure Teddy would also one day be proud of what his parents had done." Both of them looked at the smiling child. Teddy's chuckles made Mrs.Tonks smile. "Poor thing," she said."But he has you." "Thankyou, Mrs.Tonks." Harry raised the baby and kissed his forehead before handing him to his grandmother. Teddy Lupin chuckled at him and waved a bit before giving a sleepy little baby yawn. Harry joined Ron and Hermione and watched all three of their trusted friends vanishing down into pits. Ginny clasped Harry's hand, her tear-streaked face drawn with grief. All 4 of them backed into the trees. Their hearts were gripped with a pain that even their tears knew not. Chapter 4 - A FEW ERRANDS "Mr.Potter, Mr.Weasley and Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall, sitting in the headmistress' office. Slughorn, Flitwick and Sprout were also present there. Harry supposed Hagrid was busy. "I want you to update me what happened after I left you to join the battle." Harry had been expecting this from the morning. He knew that they were going to the familiar circular office when they followed McGonagall. He started. Harry told her how he had gone to Helena Ravenclaw's ghost and had come to know about and had deduced its prescence in the Room of Requirement; how Ron and Hermione had journeyed down to the Chamber of Secrets and had destroyed the horcrux in Hufflepuff's Cup. At this point Slughorn gave a strangled cry. "HORCRUXES!" he cried out." I told him about them! I should've known he was up to no good!" "Get a grip on yourself, Horace," snapped McGonagall. "Voldemort was capable of anything; he was the best student. I doubt if I could've refused him any information." Then she turned to Harry."How many does this diadem make? How many Horcruxes were there actually?" Harry counted."There was this Slytherin's locket and his ring.....then Hufflepuff's Cup......Ravenclaw's diadem.....and yes, Riddle's diary that we found in our second year.......then that snake Nagini and I was the last horcrux. The 8th piece , the one that wasn't a horcrux, was inside him. That makes it seven horcruxes in all, Professor." "Seven!!!" shrieked McGonagall and others gasped loudly. The only people who were only mildly interested were the Headmasters and Headmistresses whose portraits hung around the office. They'd been through this already. "Albus, is this true?"McGonagall turned to Dumbledore's portrait. He smiled benignly and nodded. A stunned Minerva McGonagall turned to Harry. "Continue, Potter." Then, Harry told her about Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle in the Room of Hidden things and the Fiendfyre and how Crabbe had perished in it. Sprout let out an involuntary gasp at this. "And then, the battle," Harry explained. He told how he'd gone to the Shrieking Shack with Ron and Hermione and how he had witnessed Snape's death there, along with his strange request. Harry bit his tongue at certain places where he thought tears would betray him. Indeed, all the others were tearful. Something constricted in his throat and his couldn't go further. He loved my mother so much," repeated Harry, in a hollow voice," That he protected me, his enemy's son." Sniffs of approval echoed around room. Harry then remembered it suddenly. "Professor! Professor Snape's body is still in the Shrieking shack! We never got it!" McGonagall nodded, her eyes red. "Horace, Pomona; will you?" Slughorn blew his nose loudly and followed Sprout out. "Finally, Potter, you remembered. I thought it'd take you forever." Harry spun around - wasn't that Snape's voice? He found it at last; a sole portrait hung above the heavy set of doors. Severus Snape smiled at Harry for the first time, and even if it had a tinge of snideness in it, it was certainly a pleasant change from the loathing looks. "S-Severus," croaked McGonagall,"I never knew, I'm sorry for all the times I raged at you with contempt and hate." "You have nothing to apologise for. Dumbledore's orders, Minerva," said Snape's portrait."Even now I thank him for directing me to act with excellence. To Dumbledore!" Snape held up a tiny glass with red wine painted in to it. Dumbledore's portrait smiled at Snape."My pleasure, Severus." There were a few seconds that followed this, in complete silence. hen, Hermione cleared her throat. "The Seventh Horcrux was really inside you?Did you go by yourself to Voldemort?" she pressed him. Harry nodded, glad to continue." Voldemort acted the Avada Kedavra on me - " Everyone in the room gasped. Ron pinched Harry's arm. "Ouch!I'm very much ALIVE, Ron! When Voldemort cast that spell on me I thought I was a sure goner... but then, there came this place all white and Professor Dumbledore was there... he made me understand how that only the horcrux in me was destroyed and that my soul was to myself... which meant that I could come back and still live the way I am. And then, I came back, and you know what happened." "How did he believe you were dead?" Flitwick spoke for the first time that evening. "Narcissa Malfoy lied to him that I was dead," Harry replied flatly."She wanted to get to the school in any way possible and this was the only one. He mistreated the Malfoys and exploited Draco to the extent that Malfoy was repulsed to do Dark Magic anymore. And, yes, that's all." "That's all?Good," said McGonagall. The three waited with bated breaths for the next move - about their education. "Harry, Ronald and Hermione, today is the 3rd of June. I'm giving you three a vacation for 27 more days and I'll expect you on the 1st of July for your NEWT year." "Doesn't the term usually start on the first of September?" Hermione asked. "Not for you three," McGonagall snapped."On account of your one-year offhand experience at the magical world - " "But I didn't tell from the beginning, when we started!" Harry exclaimed, but Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ron and I managed it ourselves this morning, when you were asleep," she said. "Ohh..."Harry turned back to McGonagall, who waited for her to finish, her mouth as thin as ever. "So,"she said after Hermione stopped."I would be looking forward to see you on the first of July. You are dismissed." She looked at them queerly for a second, with a softened expression that Harry was almost sure she felt as sorry for them as she was proud of them. The trio came out of the office and out of the staircase. The griffin had been replaced onto its plinth. "Now whereto?" asked Ron, kicking a shard of clay that had come off a bust. "My parents'" said Hermione, her voice quivering."We - if you want to come - can leave tomorrow." "Sounds fine,"Harry told her." But Messius wants to meet all three of us tomorrow morning..." Both of them nodded in agreement as they descended the stairs. "Harry! Hey HARRY!" All three turned towards the source. Luna came running down a corridor. Harry had never seen her this happy before; her face was radiant, glowing with an inner light that he couldn't see. "Thankyou for the stone," she said breathlessly, dropping the ring onto Harry's outstretched palm. "I'll never trouble you again about it." She gave them a dazzling smile accompanied by two very red eyes and shot past them down the stairs. Ron stared open mouthed after her, as Hermione looked at the ugly ring with the same expression. The former turned just in time to see Harry stuff the ring into the moleskin pouch still around his neck. "Don't tell me it's that damned stone again!" Ron cried out of utter despair. "This thing just got over!" "Hush, Ron!" Hermione scolded."She - she found it Harry? Why did she thank you?" Harry let the truth fall out. "Kreacher found it in the forest, gave it to Aberforth, who, by some clever means connected Dumbledore and my mission and thereby, guessing it was mine, gave it to me." "Luna?" "She saw the stone when Aberforth gave it to me. She knows its properties and wanted to see her mother, for which I gave it to her. C'mon, let's go down. I'm starving!" * * * Voldemort returned to the castle from the forest while everyone else were busy at dinner. He felt too vulnerable and weak... he needed a refuge for the time being. But where? His first thought was about the Slytherin Common Room, but it was uninhabited and of no current use. All Slytherin students had been sent home. Then, it struck him - the Chamber of Secrets. Advantages of being a ghost, he thought as he floated up through the ceilings to the second floor. He heard a faint sobbing as he entered the bathroom. Over the last cubicle, the forlorn ghost of Moaning Myrtle sat suspended, wailing with her face in her hands. The sudden arrival, however, startled her out of her reverie. "You!" she cried, bobbing up and down." You were here the night I died. Did you the Slytherin monster kill you too?" Voldemort was genuinely puzzled. How could the girl recognise him? His appearance when he died was so different from what he looked (no need to remind himself that he looked like his muggle father) when he was at Hogwarts. "Shut up!" he snapped at her and went to the tap with the snake engraving. For one fleeting moment, his doubts drove an impulse that made him look into the cracked mirror. What he saw numbed him. For in the mirror was not reflected a cruel, terrifying Lord Voldemort with a snake-like face and slit shaped red eyes. It reflected a person who almost seemed another life to him. The mirror showed the handsome features of the sixteen-year old Tom Riddle. "NO!" His ghostly voice echoed throughout the second floor. Luckily or unluckily, the only person who heard him was Mrs.Norris the cat, who turned rigid with fear for a second. Then, quite normally, she walked back to Filch. * * * The sun cast its red glow over the school grounds just as Harry, Ron and Hermione stood waiting for Messius. It was the crack of dawn. "I wish he'd hurry up," Ron muttered to Harry, pacing to and fro while Harry whiled his time by throwing pebbles into the lake. Hermione looked calm but both the boys knew that she was hiding her anxiety inside. She'd come to their dormitory about an hour ago and dragged them out of their beds, much to Ron's dislike. They hurriedly had to get dressed up while Hermione wrote a long note in the common room for Ginny explaining their small errand with the promise of meeting up at the Burrow by the evening. Ron stifled his yawn as they spotted Messius' silver hair reflecting the red glare from the east. Hermione must've woken him up from a deep sleep, too, judging by his tired eyes. She'd sent him a talking Patronus as soon as she'd placed the note in Ginny's hand. Messius formally shook hands with them and introduced himself again. "It has been a great pleasure for me to meet you three," he said, smiling."I'd always wanted to see you and talk much about everything - so I did when I started out yesterday. But I must say I did not expect the battle to be in full swing when I reached here. I could've been atleast prepared. Nevertheless, I did get something to do." "Now," He continued. "I got something for you three -" "No," Harry politely refused." We don't expect any gifts for what we did." Messius smiled. "Did I say gifts?" he reminded Harry."No, young man, I'm an ambassador for the American Ministry of Magic. We support our own sytem of schools and institutions and Voldemort was our nemesis, too. Remember the hurricanes in Florida? He did them. His destruction is a major move in global welfare. I'd expect more, ah, 'gifts' from the other nations, too, Potter." Messius pulled a piece of parchment from the bag he'd brought with him. "Her mother?" Ron repeated, pity creeping in."Poor girl." He put his arms around Hermione as they resumed their journey to the Great Hall. * * * First, to Ron Bilius Weasley," he called and Ron stepped forward. "The Translator." Ron looked slightly crestfallen as if he'd expected something more. "What does it do?" he asked turning the walkman-like thing around in his hands. "Loads," replied Messius."Ask for it; it'll translate all existing languages, interpret your dreams and solve riddles and ancient proverbs that are ridiculously difficult to understand. Wait, I forgot this." He handed a set of microphones - or rather,magical amplifiers as a wizard would say. "Next, to Hermione Jean Granger, the Miracle Muggleborn." Hermione edged forward, smiling amusedly at her title. Messius smiled in return."I think you have to cope up to receiving books, but the one I'm giving you is the most ancient of all Rune dictionaries and is a prototype of Talking Wisdoms." Hermione's fingers trembled as she took the book from him. "What are the Talking Wisdoms?" Ron whispered to her as she carefully arranged the book into her small beaded bag. "Talking books," she whispered back."You just have to ask what you want in it and it shows the right page and talks about what you want." Ron raised his eyebrows in appreciation. "To Harry James Potter," Messius read out and watched as Harry moved closer." Ah, the Ministry has decided to give one of my favourite inventions ... the Mirror of Souls ..." He took out a small, round hand mirror with a beautifully carved handle to hold with. Harry took it without any feelings, with no knowledge about it. The mirror itself shined like the glossy waters of the lake beside them. "What exactly -?" "It is much like that admirable stone of yours, Potter," Messius explained about his creation."The difference is that the people appearing in this mirror are very much visible to everyone while they are in it. There's only one condition," He said, dropping his voice and leaning closer."The ones you can call must not have come back as ghosts." Harry didn't particularly feel any better but he smiled lightly for Messius. "Thanks." "Farewell, Harry Potter," Messius said, shaking Harry's hand. "We'll meet sometime later in the future, then. I'm leaving for the States today." Harry nodded curtly and the four of the turned to opposite directions ; the old man to the castle and the three friends towards the village. "What was he talking to you yesterday?" Ron asked Harry as they stepped gingerly over the damaged iron gates. "Oh, he was just telling me how he was my great uncle - " Ron and Hermione stopped in their tracks. "- and how Neville was his grandson." "You gotta be joking, mate!" Ron whispered in awe, his eyes wide. Harry shrugged exasperatedly. "My grandad's sister was his wife and Alice Longbottom is his daughter." "Funny he never came to help you or stand by you as 'family'," Hermione said, in a tone that said 'not-funny-at-all'. "He told me couldn't've come all the way from Argentina without any news about me reaching him," Harry explained."He said he was almost excluded from the rest of the world and didn't even know that he was related to me until after his wife's death!" Hermione lowered her eyes and kicked at the pebbles, but Harry saw that she didn't still accept what he said. They kept on walking and soon the picture-postcard cottages of Hogsmeade were sighted, with the eerie Shrieking Shack providing a backdrop. "Harry!" Hermione stopped suddenly."How does he know about the Ressurection Stone? Didn't he mention it now?" Her eyes widened with suspicion and fear. It took some time for Harry to remember."That.... was because was once upon a time a Pusuer of the Quest, like ... Luna's dad." She relaxed a bit. "Does he know about you being the owner of all the three Hallows?" "He knows I own the Invisibility Cloak. The Stone and the Elder wand should've come in your narrative to McGonagall,"Harry recounted. "And I'd guess Messius would've been updated about it. He is the only other person here who knows that they are Hallows and not mere objects, though you tried to show them like that; he's sharp and so, there you are, he deduced the facts." Hermione bit her lips, not entirely convinced. Ron grew more impatient by the second. "Oh, c'mon," he pressed." We're supposed to find your parents, not bother about finished things. This is over." Hermione looked at him. "You're right," she mumbled at last. "Good. Now where should we go?" Ron asked. "London," Hermione said immediately."Tart's corner, where I live. Uh-oh, Sorry," she added, at the look in Ron's face." Where I used to live." They grasped hands and Disapparated to Tart's Corner, London. As the suffocating feeling subsided, Harry blinked at neat rows of houses in front of them. "Come," said Hermione and led them to No.16/3's door ; and she knocked. When there was no response, she rang the doorbell. A sleepy maid opened the door. "Yes?" She yawned widely and peered at them. "Who live here?" Hermione asked suspiciously. "Mr and Mrs.Robert Smith, gal," the maid replied with eyes blinking confusedly. "Do you - er - know about the previous owners of this house?Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins?" The maid rubbed her eyes, cursing Hermione mentally. "The Aussie - mad people?You wanna know where they are?"She asked looking at Ron and Harry over Hermione's shoulder. Hermione nodded. "Wait a minute." The maid disappeared and they could hear her scrambling around. The three waited. Hermione stepped a bit back and looked longingly around. "Look," she pointed to the upper right window."That was my bedroom. And this shed is where they had their practse materials stored in; hey! This is where they had the big advertisement about the clinic just about here - " She broke off when the maid's footsteps echoed from inside. "Here," the maid said, thrusting something into Hermione's palm."They gave it to me for a free dental check-up when I go to Australia." She rolled her eyes. Hermione stepped down from the porch. "Thanks," she called over her shoulder. The maid closed the door with a snap. "What does it say?" Harry asked as Ron took the piece of paper from Hermione. "29, Cheschire Ave, Wall....aby Main, Syd...ney - yeah, Sydney." Ron looked up. "Looks as if they already booked their place from here." He scratched his chin. "Advanced Muggles, your parents..." "How do we get to Australia now?" Hermione said anxiously, not noting his follow-up. Harry and Ron looked at each other, thinking deeply. "Why can't we have a portkey?" Harry declared after long hard thinking. "A Portkey?" Hermione cried." But where can we get one?" "We'll make one," Harry said. Really, it was that simple. "And how do we get it authorised?" Hermione demanded. Ron looked at her incredulously. "Nobody's gonna tell us off, Hermione!"he reminded her."We're with Harry Potter! What he does is rule today!" For this he received a scoff from a black-haired, bespectacled someone who was, however, grinning. "Come on, Hermione," Ron continued, rubbing his left ear."We don't have much time to waste." "Oh, ok, fine." They turned into a narrow alleyway and Hermione looked into her little beaded bag. "Now...,"she murmured."What can we turn into a portkey?" "How about this?" asked Ron, holding up a smashed egg-bowl from a nearby garbage can. "Good enough," said Harry and mutterd 'Portus', waving his wand over it. "C'mon, grab it fast!" The bowl turned an electric blue just as Harry and Hermione joined Ron. "Three - two - ONE!" A jerk behind the navel, as always, accompanied Harry's uneasiness.. He almost lost his balance when they landed. "It's over there." Hermione was looking at a small baby-blue building some 2 houses away from them. It had a large board in front literally screaming 'THE DAILY DENTISTS : Doc. Wilkins,M.D.S. and Doc. Wilkins, M.D.S." "Good," said Ron. " Let's go." He moved forward. "No,wait!" Hermione caught his arm. "What, now?" Harry asked, irritated. "I need to brew up a small potion - the Curse Obliviator Juice. This place's ok, yeah." She pulled them left to a small alleyway behind the backsides of two houses. "Do you have the ingredients?" asked Harry as he and Ron blocked Hermione from the view. "Oh yes, I packed them yesterday when you were all asleep. Hmm.... now for the instructions..." As minutes sailed by, the boys could smell a fruity potion. Harry turned around and got a shock. A bright-blue potion was bubbling in a small cauldron underneath which was Hermione's famous blue-bell fire, and lying tatterd and dog-eared next to the cauldron was - "The Half-Blood Prince's Book, Hermione!" He cried in a strangled whisper. Ron turned sharply and stared at it. "How on earth did you get it?"Harry asked, awed that it was still intact. Hermione ladled the potion into a Pepsico PET bottle while she answered. "That night, remember when we were knocked down by Crabbe while we searched for the diadem?The book fell on me then and on recognising it, I shoved it into my robes." "Why?" Ron demanded."You - er - hated it!" "The stuff inside was pretty useful, right?" "Maybe," agreed Ron." But nevertheless, you disapproved of it and encouraged Harry against using it; now look at you!" "You disapproved, too, remember?" Hermione shot back. "Stop it!" snapped Harry, coming to stand in between their glaring figures. "We came here for your parents." He told firmly to Hermione."Not bicker and contradict each other, understand?" Harry finished, looking at Ron. A couple of minutes later, they were ringing the bell of the dentists' place. Harry and Ron were under the Invisibility, serving the purpose of look-outs. "Come in!" a woman's tinkling voice wished them from somewhere inside. Theyopened the door only to find a large photo of Hermione's parents hung at the end of the long hall. "Wendell! It's half-past six and we already have two patients!" someone exclaimed from upstairs. Curious, Harry looked into the waiting room and felt his intestines twist inside him. Out of the least likely persons he could've expected to turn up in Australia, it was - "Aunt Marge!" He groaned in a strangled whisper. Both Ron and Hermione turned to look at him. Ron peered out at Aunt Marge from above Harry's head. "Isn't she the one you blew up?Didn't she get alright or something?" he asked. "She was like that even before I blew her up." Hermione looked thoughtful. "Harry," she whispered. "I reckon you must go and talk to her right now." Harry was thoroughly taken aback. "Why?" "To distract her. To keep her busy. Please?" A tong rang around the house, indicating the first patient to come for consultation. Hermione edged forwards with a last look at Harry and Ron. Harry inhaled loudly. Quickly, slipped out of the Cloak and into the room. Only when he sat down did Aunt Marge realised his presence. She had had some difficulty in getting up. On seeing Harry, she again fell onto the sofa. Harry thought he heard the sofa springs creak dangerously. "You!"Aunt Marge hissed malignantly. "What are you doing here?" "Precisely my question," Harry shot back. "And - " he looked right and left,"- where is Ripper?" Aunt Marge stiffened and her beady little eyes narrowed. "Ripper's been put to sleep. As if you'd care!" She spoke very fast. "I'm here on a tour and I've sent Vernon back to Private Drive before you could even think of selling it, boy!" Her eyes flashed triumphantly. It was Harry's turn to stiffen. "When?" "Last week." A short pause."He was a fool to believe you, I told him." Harry got up, frantic - what if the remaining Death Eaters had caught them? He instinctively turned for the doorway. "Hey!" Marge caught before could move. "Where's my answer?" She had grown even larger and beefier ove the few years, and the grip she held him with was leech-like. "This is where my best friend from school lives," he said through gritted teeth. The words worked magic on their own. Marge withdrew her vast palm as if she'd had an electric shock.. Haughtily and scowling, she got up, occupyng nearly thrice the amount of space as would a normal person. "I thought these people were normal," she spat out."I didn't know they had hooligans for kids." and she stalked off, upturning evrything on her way. Harry stood there for a few seconds. He heard some high-pitched talking from the consulting room just as Ron's anxious face suddenly appeared at the door. From the look on his face, Harry understood that he'd heard what they'd been talking. "Harry, your aunt and uncle - ?" Ron began as Harry walked over. "I know, I know!" Harry said breathlessly. "Quick Give me the cloak!" Ron handed it over immediately, but caught Harry's arm. "Wait for us, mate," he requested. "No," Harry refused. "I've got to go immediately. i'll join at the Burrow - latest by tonight or tomorrow morning, ok?" Ron was still apprehensive after he saw Harry out of the house (even though Harry wasn't visible ). A hand waved in mid-air and then vanished. Ron stared at the spot where it had appeared for a few seconds and turned when someone screamed from upstairs. "HERMIONE!", the voice cried."You're back! But where are we?" Harry did not bother about any Portkey. He simply Disapparated using his whole strength. Which was the reason he had to stagger up the front drive of No. 4, Private Drive. Harry rang the doorbell, expecting the worst and hoping for the best. To his great relief, it was Dudley who opened the door. Harry gaped at him. It wasn't the very fat Dudley with 5 wobbling chins or a massive waist-length, but a very different Dudley from what he knew; there was a boy who looked slightly heavier and taller than Harry, that's all. The only features that were recognisable was his blond hair, round plump face and the stupid expression that was stuck on it forever. Even more surprising, Dudley roared with joy on seeing Harry."MUM!" he bellowed over his shoulder as he pulled Harry into the house and literally into the livingroom without any effort. "It's HARRY!" A distant crash and loud thudding feet accompanied Uncle Vernon down the stairs as Aunt Petunia peered ou anxiously from the kitchen door. Harry stared at them with a loss of words. They looked like living death, emaciated and sunken. Infact, Uncle Vernon looked like he'd been starving for months altogether. Both of them goggled at Harry - who couldn't help feeling a bit of animosity towards them - as if he was the one who looked like a nightmare. Silently, both of them stepped cautiously forward and sat on the nearest sofa. Harry looked around the familiar room without even a bit of attachment towards it. The only thing that had changed now was that all the Dudley photos had been removed and only a few remained - different ones. The one nearest to him held a family photo of the three Dursleys booming in the fore ground while a sulking Harry lurked in the background. Harry remembered that occassion only too well. The photographer had taken quite a pity and liking on him that he'd insisted Harry be in the photo. That was nearly 10 years ago. There were only 3 other photos - the school ones. The only other times Harry had been near Dudley before a camera screen without getting hit. UNcle Vernon cleared his throat loudly, making all of them jump. "So, boy," he barked in a hoarse voice. "Has the maniac gone?" Aunt Petunia shot a look of pure terror at Uncle Vernon; calling Voldemort names was dangerous, she knew. Somethings you can't help learning, even if it's from people you'd hate. "Yeah, Voldemort has died," Harry replied stiffly, all his relief cooled to dislike. "Good!" cried Uncle Vernon with earnestness." When? You finished him off, didn't you, boy ?" Harry looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Yes. I did. Yesterday morning." The reaction was tremendous; Dudley clapped Harry on the back , Aunt Petunia cried in relief, tears rolling down effortlessly and Uncle Vernon let out a loud whoop of joy. Harry could see No.5's owner looking out of their window at the sound. Harry turned back to the Dursleys and waited till they calmed down, his back aching where Dudley had thumped him. They finally were able to realise his presence there and quietened. Harry raised an eyebrow at them, questioningly, wanting to leave the place as soon as possible. "That Giggle - " Uncle Vernon began, and Harry cut across, irritated. "Diggle." "Yeah, whatever, he fed us really scary stories about this guy - Vo-Voldmort, right ? - and I was shaken, boy, and Petunia was never was so gray, ever! So, I just drove to Dartmoor - pretty far from here - " "Dartmoor!?!" Harry exclaimed. "Yeah," Uncle Vernon scratched his head."I know it was a bad idea, yeah, and a week later, we flew to New Zealand." Harry couldn't say anything, but New Zealand? "And we stayed there for a few months before everything went cold and really bad ..." Uncle Vernon broke off, shuddering lightly, loose skin hanging around his eyes, which were looking somewhere beyond Harry's eyesight. The latter felt his skin crawl as he understood what had happened. "It was like when the Dementors caught us," Dudley picked where Uncle Vernon had stopped. " The whole place went dark and cold, and we began reliving in horrible memories; the fear even choked our breath! We couldn't eat, we couldn't sleep, we couldn't even hope! Day by day, things only got worse and people went mad within their houses and some went blank, as if - as if -" Dudley stopped, too, his eyes wide and fearful. Harry felt his stomach lurch unpleasantly. How much ever he hated the Dursleys, he was aghast at the fact that Dementors launched upon defenseless Muggles. "As if they had lost their souls?" Aunt petunia sighed. She nodded and patted Dudley's shoulder. She was trully a living skeleton now, emaciated and worn. Harry swallowed hard as he surveyed as she weakly held onto her son for support. It was her turn at the story now. "Yes...." she said in a voice barely more than a hiss, nevertheless without a single hint that bade Harry to connect her to his dead mother." So we decided to move farther south - Sydney - though we nearly caused a huge chaos by being the only passengers on the plane." She smiled sadly."After we came there, we found that that place was considerably safer than where we had been. I suppose there were good wi-wi-wizards there, aah." Harry wasn't surprised at the difficulty she had in uttering the word. "We had only started recovering from the damage, perhaps a month or two, when Marge suddenly jumped on us - " "Yeah," muttered Harry. "I met her there - she told me you were back here. That's when I rushed here." Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia raised their eyebrows, probably wondering if they'd ever go and check on him if there was something like this. Considering they didn't before, they were slightly ashamed of themselves. Aunt Petunia continued, in a somewhat surprised tone."Yeah - well, she came to visit and bought herself a house there. But nevermind," she waved a hand aside. "She tried to brainwash us into coming back. We, ofcourse, couldn't explain this all to her, so we pretended to agree. Almost at the last moment we met this person named Messius - " "Messius!" Harry interjected, surprised at the turn in the tale. "In Australia? "Yep," Dudley confirmed. "He told us not to move anywhere because the country was full of rumours and something bad had happened to one of the bad guys. He just piped in that it would be good if we took the flight that was ue yesterday. Lie low for a week, he said." "How did he know that from yesterday things would change?" Harry wondered aloud, startled by Messius' enigmatic remark. Could it be the same person, or some other wizard by the same name? All three of them shrugged. "But he lived like - like us, normal, not like a you-know-what," Aunt Petunia said." And he had the most adorable pair of twins, aged nine or ten..." Then it was someone else, Harry noted. Brelton Messius' family was right now, only Neville and his parents. But what about the advice? "Perhaps he could read the future?" Dudley suggested, but Harry shrugged. He looked at his watch and got up to leave. Harry looked around once, feeling awkward about saying goodbye. Afterall, they'd trusted him enough to go into hiding for these few months. Infact, he felt peculiar coming into the house ever again, now that he'd completely entered a new life. "So," he started. "Now that you're safe here, I think... I'll leave." Dudley looked reproachful. "Do you have to?" he asked. For a second, something like concern flitted across Aunt Petunia's face. Uncle Vernon looked too tired to even show any expression. Harry gulped. He actually felt sorry for his aunt and uncle, afterall all the hate and bitter times. He nodded slowly. They all trooped out of the living room. Harry glanced at the cupboard under stairs and felt like laughing ironically. How had he ever been small enough to fit into it? Dudley saw him look at it and suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead. Harry was startled; usually it was him who did that action at very unexpected times. But he saw that Dudley didn't sport any scars when he dropped his hand back to his side. "Holy crow! One minute, - er - Harry," Dudley said and Harry cursed himself for jumping into conclusions - it was a mere indication of absentmindedness. His cousin pulled the door open and produced something soo familiar to him. "Is this yours? Fell on our car the day we left. I've seen it in your room before." Harry took the Firebolt from Dudley’s hands gratefully. It looked a bit frayed and many of the tail twigs were bent, but he knew it was his very own broom that fell to oblivion that fateful day, almost a year ago. “Thanks,” he said to Dudley. “You’ve grown into someone I wish I’d been friends with. Pity you weren’t the same before.” Dudley actually beamed at the words. “We are friends,” he declared when they shook hands at the doorstep. “When can I see you again?” “My owl will find you.” And with that, Harry Disapparated right in front of their eyes. * * * * * * Voldemort lay curled up inside Slytherin’s mouth, it was dark, but he preferred it like this. He lifted his face and stuck his head out of the stone lips to glance at the basilisk skeleton below. The gits had used its fangs to destroy his precious Horcruxes (Ha! How can blind people know the importance of sunlight!). Those were the only parts of the bones that were missing. Lord Voldemort needed answers. Loads of them, infact. How did Harry Potter come back alive when he had killed him? And how has love - something so invisible and foolish - be greater than his own, experienced, advanced magic? “DUMBLEDORE!!!” He screamed at the slime-covered ceiling. “I NEED YOUR EXPLANATION FOR THIS!!!” His voice echoed eerily around the walls. The stone snakes’ eyes glittered in his direction. After becoming a ghost, he had finally been able to see the strange green lights in the reptiles’ eye sockets; a mark of the trapped spirits. Voldemort glared around. He doubted he was the only one who found out how to work out the real purpose of the Chamber of Secrets. Each snake contained a secret about the people who had ever been able to enter it and all the wizards who could speak Parseltongue, along with a prophecy of the future with accordance to them. Voldemort had researched enough to find out that Slytherin had taken care to seal the world’s most smartest spirits of the highest degree into the stone sculptures and had cleverly formulated their release with utmost shrewdness. There was but one thing Voldemort did not know. How to make the snakes speak out the Secrets. * * * * * * Harry reached the Burrow before Ron and Hermione. Not wanting to disturb anyone, Harry took a ride on his Firebolt in the neighborhood. It was then he found the perfect hiding place for the Resurrection Stone. The demolished house of the Lovegoods. The Lovegood manor was in dignified ruins (Harry privately felt it was less eccentric this way). From the hilltop, anyone could spot a huge house almost done at the base of the valley, right beside the fish-filled stream. The new house was shaped like a half-moon. Up here, Harry saw blank patches where there’d been Gurdyroots and such lunatic plants and was thankful that Xeno Lovegood had reshuffled his garden down to the new place. But he’d also taken the liberty to hang up a board in the front of the house saying, “The Dark Lord’s Plunder - A Remnant Of The Horror”. Inside the house, everything looked as disarrayed as before except for the Erumpent horn (the Snorkack’s, according to Luna and her dad), which had mended itself and poked down dangerously from its perch on the fallen wall. Cautiously, Harry made his way around it to the stairs, which was the only part that looked quite intact. Slowly, he detached a slab from the lowermost stair and dug out atleast 10 feet, using his wand. He conjured a small box - with difficulty - and sealed the ring into it. Then, he lowered into the hole magically, filling up the hole with equal intervals of sand and spells to safeguard the Hallow tightly inside this crevice. On the slab, he combined the Flagrate and Shield charms, using a small trick involving a hair from his head so that touching it won’t harm him. This was the best Harry knew.It wasn’t bad; on the whole, it looked right in place. Harry sped out without a second look at the stair. Like a reflex, he jumped on to the broom and sped to the Burrow. He was just in time to see Ron and Hermione sidling up the walk, laughing heartily. He joined them, sliding off the Firebolt. They stopped laughing, not sure whether it would annoy him or not. Harry smiled at them and waved at his broomstick. “All was well there. See, Dudley had even taken care of this for me!” Hermione looked surprised, but Ron’s eyebrows practically flew into his hair. They lowered soon, though. “Mom and Dad agreed to let me stay here!” Hermione said, breathless with happiness. “They’ve decided to stay in Australia permanently!” “Good for us,” Ron said, putting an arm around her shoulder. Ginny’s face appeared out of the kitchen door just as the trio were up the lawn. She smiled at Harry dazzlingly when she saw the oncomers. “If you don’t mind me asking, Harry,” Percy whispered into Harry’s ears as they set the table together. “Where were you three?” Harry put away the large beef steak pan on the centre of the table. “Oh, just finishing a few errands.” CHAPTER 5 - SCHOOL IN SUMMER Harry's limited time soon ran out and one sunny June morning found him, Ron and Hermione waiting for the Knight Bus to drop them off at Hogwarts, surrounded with trunks and pet cages. In the memory of Hedwig, Harry buried a stuffed white owl and bought himself another snowy female owl on their trip tp Diagon Alley, just the previous week. On Ginny's insistance, he named her Juno, owing to the fact that he'd bought her in the month of June. Harry stuck his wand arm out. With a deafening bang, a violently purple bus jumped onto the lane. "There, now," said Mrs.Weasley, as she hugged each of them by turn. "Study well, use your time properly. It's your NEWTs - just be careful, ok?" "Ofcourse, we will be, Mum," Ron assured her as he helped Harry lift his trunk up. Ernie Prang hadn't yet found a new conductor, and Stan was at St.Mungo's, undergoing treatment for heavy Imperious Influence. Hence, passengers have to do their own job. "Definitely, Mrs.Weasley," said Hermione, catching the older woman in a hug. "I'll see to it they work." Mrs.Weasley smiled at her and kissed her forehead just before she alighted onto the bus. "Take care, all of you!" She shouted when they were all up. "Ronald, don't forget to send a letter when you're there!" Harry could see Mrs.Weasley smiling and waving, tears streaming down her face, till the Knight Bus jumped onto Edinburgh from Ottery St.Catchpole. "Yeah, and get your fingers chipped off," Ron muttered under his breath, eyeing Pigwidgeon's mad twittering warily. For the first time in his memory, the Knight Bus was completely empty. Ernie turned around as Ron and Hermione made their way to the last row of seats. "Hogwarts?" "Yes, please." Harry dropped his, Ron's and Hermione's fares into the newly attached purple box at the back of the driver's seat before joining his friends. Almost an hour later, the Knight Bus banged through most of the roads and finally, made it to Hogsmeade. "It's gonna be scorching hot in the castle," remarked Ron, looking out of the window into the blinding sunlight. Beside him, Hermione was fanning herself out with a fan she's Conjured out of thin air. Harry couldn't help but admire the workmanship; he immediately resolved to work harder this term. Ernie pulled onto a stop just before the main gates and the three of them jumped out in sheer relief. It took them quite a while to lug their trunks past the grounds. Though all the three had fitted the trunks with Undetectable Extension Charm andthe Weightless Charm, they found that they couldn't adjust the size (which was explained by Hermione's long lecture in Gamp's law of Transfiguration of Wooden Works). Thus, they were left to struggle with the bulk. Argus Filch, as mean as ever, stood at the top of the steps, waiting for them with a Secrecy Sensor in his hands. Mrs.Norris purred vehemently from her position at his ankles. Ron eyed the sensor suspiciously. "What's that for?" he asked the caretaker in a tone closer to incredulity than irritation. "You surely can't be checking us?" Filch narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth as he stuffed the sensor into a pocket of his moth-eaten brown coat. Silently, they went past him. "Smites," they could hear him mutter. "Making me work in the holidays..." There was absolutely no one sight as they made their way up the Gryffindor tower. A very subdued Fat Lady had let them in without any password, just as McGonagall must've instructed her. Hermione murmured something about the portrait of Vi, the Fat Lady's friend, being away for restoration. Harry dumped his trunk in his dormitory and came back to the commonroom; he slumped down on his favourite armchair. A few minutes later Ron and Hermione joined him and both of them curled up on the same chair, Ron with his arm around a silent Hermione's shoulder. "Wish Kreacher was here..." Harry wished inaudibly, but Kreacher was at Mrs.Tonks', on his orders. He leaned back at looked out of the window, the fire cracking merrily in front of him. The Gryffindor tower was perhaps one of the few parts of the castle that escaped unscathed from the war. Hermione quietly slid down from Ron's side and pulled out one of their seventh year books, and started reading it, sprawled across the hearth. Ron, on the other hand, had his Translator out, for about the hundredth time, and was starting to read out extracts from Advanced Potions. School started in the morning, and the castle was theirs for two whole months, counting out the few workwizards who were carrying out repair works around the castle. * * * * * * Voldemort was hiding in the Restricted Section of the library, flitting in and out of books. He knew that all of Dumbledore's personal library had passed over to here, but he didn't really expect Dumbledore to have the book he wanted so badly right now. Voldemort needed to know how to make the Secret-Snakes speak out ther secrets. There was, he knew (well, naturally), a combination of phrases to make them come alive and Voldemort was quite sure that Slytherin, who'd wanted his heir to set the basilisk on Mudbloods, would've also wanted him to unravel the mysteries in it. Hence, Voldemort hung around, searching for snakey clues, and wondered exactly about his choice of stay. It would take atleast a week to comb the castle and if he couldn't find anything helpful, he would have to spend more time tracing his lineage beyond the Gaunts and after Slytherin... He'd have to go upon the suspective destinations to, again, ramshackle the place for the Parselwords that would help him know the secrets of Harry Potter, his weaknesses and his strengths, and also the secrets for his destruction... And, for the first time, Voldemort thought as he slipped out of a particularly sappy book about Hogwarts' Founders, Tom Riddle was staying at Hogwarts for the summer vacation. * * * " Your classes would be exceptionally complicated this term, " McGonagall said, almost as soon as she'd cornered the three of them having a solitary breakfast up at the commonroom. "I expect all 3 of you to work harder this term; the NEWTs determine the very life of a qualified wizard, though I do know Miss Granger has already accomplished many rare spells." She once again bestowed one of her rare smiles upon a reddening Hermione. "So, it is really down to you, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, that you put your best efforts and hardwork into these two months." "Yes, Professor," Harry obliged, while Ron nodded fervently, his speech abilities currently held in control by the bacon piece in his mouth. "But, Professor," Harry started. "How can we finish these portions in 2 months?And why do we need to?" Then, glancing at McGOnagall's rapidly raising eyebrows, he quickly added, " I mean, everyone is planning to come back for a new year..." McGonagall fixed him with a rather beady look. "I told you the reason the other day, Potter," she reminded him in a brisk manner. " That we took into account your - ah - adventures into consideration. According to the information gained, you have been using NEWT-level spells for the best part of the year, and these were, if I guess correctly, Miss Granger's suggestions. Though you seem less prepared to accept, you DADA is trully remarkable, and you will find that only your theory would be new to you about the subject this time. The subjects you really need to concentrate are Potions, Tranfiguration and Herbology. Charms, yes, you may be needing a little perfection, but otherwise there's nothing to worry." She got up and adjusted her cloak. then, looking at their forlorn faces, she shrugged and added, "Really." And she swept out of the portrait hole, leaving them with the schedules and unfinished breakfast. "What did she mean by that?" Ron asked, swallowing a large piece of boiled egg and looking doubtfully after McGonagall's recent exit. "I think she meant we would waste our time if we attended school year with the others," Hermione provided helpfully. "Couldn't afford to let us dawdle, could she, now?" Harry nodded wistfully at the suggestion, still staring at his Quidditch-less, fully occupied timetable and wondering why on earth Ron's had a Divination period in it and Hermione's had Runes. His had Extremere Magic in it, and that was a bit suspicious - he never knew there was subject like that before, and guessed it would be extra practice for his Aurorship. Then, again, Ron didn't have it, nor did Hermione. The latter guessed his dilemma and shrugged when he pointed at the blocks. "Probably introducing this year," she said, and went back to the Advanced Transfiguration she was reading, while ladling porridge into her mouth. Ron muttered something like 'horrible table manners' and she raised her eyebrows at him, causing him to turn red and shovel his porridge at a faster speed. To be continued....